


Broken Shards

by elletomkins



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Cancer, Eating Disorders, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-05 17:52:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17923544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletomkins/pseuds/elletomkins
Summary: "The Japanese believe that when something has suffered damage and has a history, the cracks having been filled with gold, it becomes even more beautiful." Jughead whispered. "Every time we break, we try again. And I promise you Betty, I won't stop trying."- Jughead Jones thinks he has life at Riverdale General Hospital all figured out. Little did he know he would be up against the greatest challenge he’d ever come across: Betty Cooper, the newest admission to the pediatric ward.





	Broken Shards

**Author's Note:**

> Beware this is my first time writing Bughead so it may be a bit OOC at times.

Jughead Jones was used to the hospital. He had been at Riverdale General for the past two months now. He was getting used to walking on his crutches. The fact that one leg was there while the other practically a stump was hard to get used to, but he was slowly coming around. He was used to the bright lights and the early wake up calls. He was even used to sneaking off with Archie Andrews to get high in the utility closet during school hours.

“Shouldn’t we be getting to class?” Jughead asked as he passed the joint to Archie, quickly checking the time on his phone before looking up at his friend.

“Class will always be there. An opportunity like this however may not come around again.” Jughead shook his head at his friend. While they seemed like complete opposites, Archie sure knew how to get Jughead to loosen up. He was also the only other guy who had the same type of cancer as Jughead had, only he was in rehab while Archie was only just now starting treatment. The door busted open with a loud bang and the pair froze like deer in headlights. _Oh_ _shit._

“Really you two?” The unmistakable voice of one Nurse Andrews snapped them out of their daze. Their buzz was officially killed. Mary Andrews had been working at Riverdale General for the past few years now after transferring from Chicago. It helped that she could easily keep an eye on her son Archie while at her job. Still, she was one of the only parents to actually visit their kid. Jughead couldn't remember the last time his parents walked through the doors of the hospital, maybe after his surgery but then the visits gradually decreased and before long they stopped altogether. 

Nurse Andrews grabbed Jughead’s wheelchair handles and began moving him into the hallway, with a sulking Archie following reluctantly behind them. From there they traveled down winding hallways until they reached the classroom. They were off to school for the day, well their version of school anyway. It consisted of one room, a dozen or so sick kids and one teacher trying to actually teach them something for a few hours at a time. Archie entered, more eager than ever to get away from the glare his mom was no doubt sending him over his shoulder.

Mary paused outside the classroom and turned towards Jughead. “I know what kind of people my son used to hang out with. Jocks, people that had no trouble wasting their time partying and drinking. You however, are a different story. Keep that head on straight alright?” With that, Jughead mustered a genuine smile before rolling himself into the room.

* * *

Betty Cooper tightened her ever present ponytail as she stared at the walls of her new room, an unopened suitcase on the empty bed opposite of hers. Her parents were filling out paperwork and she was forced to saw goodbye to her sister Polly the morning before, with the older Cooper staying at home while Betty got carted off to the hospital.

She had yet to receive her textbooks, but was told she would be starting classes with the other teens the following day. At least one good thing came out of this, she got a more peaceful environment to continue her studies. The knock on her door broke her out of her thoughts as she noticed her parents at the door, both awkwardly eyeing the place their daughter would be staying for the next few months.

“Elizabeth, be good.” Her mother had warned, with nothing more than a chaste kiss on the forehead before shuffling out the door in hurry. Hal sighed, discomfortable evident on his face as they witnessed Alice’s mannerisms, before gently taking his daughter’s hands.

“You get better sweetheart okay? You get better and come back home to us.” 

All Betty could do was nod and plaster a smile onto her face. After all, she always did what she was told.

* * *

 At the other end of the hospital, a raven haired cheerleader with her arm in a sling was spewing insults at the medic wheeling her on a gurney in the Emergency Entrance. Everything from his choice of shoes to his scrubs was being critiqued by the girl.

While this was happening Archie and Jughead were making their way past the nurses station and into the service elevator. It was quite shocking just how easy it was to slip under the staff’s radar.  Archie had eyed an empty wheelchair and grabbed it, then they were off.

They were on their way to eat lunch with Pop Tate. He donated a lot of money to the hospital so they gave him his own wing and the best food out of the entire building. He didn’t even have anything wrong with him, but the money flowing in was too good for the staff to kick him out. 

"Hey Jones. Andrews." A familiar voice called out to him as Toni Topaz met them on Pop's floor. All pink hair and dark clothing. Jughead and Toni had met in the ER and became fast friends. 

"I still maintain that I should have been allowed to move into the swamp instead of Archie." The ginger only shrugged in response as they entered Pop's room, which had a striking resemblance to a diner from the 1950s. 

"You should do something to celebrate before you lose that thing." Pop gestured to Archie's leg in between chews. 

"We can't really have a party. We're in a hospital after all."

"You can still have a good time." 

"Maybe."

Toni checked the time on her phone before standing up. "I have to go meet with my new nurse. Maybe I'll even be able to convince her that I need a sponge bath."

"You mean _him_?" Archie quirked an eyebrow, dumbfounded. 

"I said what I said." With a knowing smirk, Toni went on her way. 

“We have a new girl.” Jughead said in between bites of his burger. He and Archie had eaten with Pop so many times that they had regular orders they got every time. Burgers, fries, and shakes. Things that you could hardly get from the hospital cafeteria, which lately consisted burnt chicken nuggets, blackened tacos, and watery soup. 

“Oh yeah?” Archie raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the best of him. 

“Yeah Veronica something or another. She’s rooming with Jason Blossom.”

Everyone knew who Jason Blossom was and how he ended up at Riverdale General. He and his sister Cheryl were out for a boat ride when it tipped over, leaving the boy unconscious. Now he was currently laying in a coma and said sister was sleeping on the couch next to him. The girl never left from the whisperings passed between the nurses. She practically lived there.

“I hear she’s a real bitch though. She’s the one that was unmistakably heard through the hallways complaining about practically everything in sight.”

* * *

Veronica bolted from the room as soon as the nurse left her alone. It was nearing lunchtime and the incompetent staff had yet to give her a proper lunch, let alone proper medical care. And worse of all she was stuck in a room with a human vegetable. Veronica glances around the room, scrunching up her nose in disgust as she noticed yet another redhead almost identical to the one in the bed opposite of her own. The last thing she wanted to do was stay there with Veggie boy and his creepy sister.

She wandered around her floor before the smell of food nearby carried her up another flight. Ducking into the nearest room, she glanced around for any sign of a doctor or nurse and entered the empty looking room. She only spotted a quiet blonde sitting in the corner of the room reading, a tray of food ignored on a table towards the bed. 

"Are you looking for something?" Betty asked, making herself known as Veronica smirked at the girl, as if sensing her insecurities.

"Yeah, your food for starters. I'm starving...well actually you are too right? Only difference is, I actually want to eat, but unfortunately got stuck with worse food than a public school lunch. I could easily take some of that off your hands." She motioned towards the food as Betty sighed before giving her a silent nod, what did she have to lose? 

“Be quick though.” Betty warned as the cheerleader rolled her eyes before taking bits and pieces out of each item of food. Within a matter of minutes halves of sandwiches, spoonfuls of pudding and a quarter of milk had disappeared.

A nurse walked in moments later to collect the tray, acknowledging Betty with a smile and nod in approval. “Nice job Miss Cooper.” And with that the two girls were left alone again. 

“We should do this more often.” Veronica swallowed the last bite of sandwich she had stuffed in her sling before waltzing out the door without another word. Leaving Betty rather dazed and confused, but secretly grateful nonetheless. 

* * *

 Veronica entered the elevator, impatiently tapping her fingers against her phone as she waited for it to start moving. It was only when she turned around that she realized there were two boys behind her, ogling her for all she knew. With a scoff she turned back around. “Hasn’t anyone told you two that staring is impolite. Also that twinning is so last year? Did you plan this Creepy Olsen twins?”

“We aren’t really twinning. He has two legs and I only have one.” Jughead said in a matter of fact tone, smirking at the girl.

“Yeah so tomorrow, I’m getting mine cut off because I desperately want to look like him." Archie chimed in, grinning as well. "It’s only a matter of time before I shave my head as well.”

Veronica wrinkled her nose in disgust.  "Gross."

“You should come hang with us. We’re having a party tonight on the roof for my friend here.” Jughead offered. Archie gave his friend a confused look but the other ignored him, instead turning his attention to Veronica, awaiting her answer.

“Um if we went went to the same high school, I wouldn’t be caught dead talking to you.”

“Are all cheerleaders this stuck up?”

“Does everyone in this hell hole have some vendetta against cheerleaders or something?”

“You know that in a few years you’re gonna be wishing you were back in high school, simply desperate to relive those good old days when everyone kissed your ass.”

“Knock it off.”

“The truth hurts.” Jughead chuckled under his breath as the elevator came to a halt. 

"The truth is, those bracelets are so done. Who wears them anymore?" She pointed to the Red Bands on his wrists as she got off.

"You don’t even know what these are."

"I don’t need to, loser." Both boys stared at the girl as she walked away.

"Since when are we having a party?"

"Since now."

* * *

 Later that afternoon Betty was getting used to navigating her way around, stopping in the patient lounge to check out the study room. Two boys, one with striking red hair and one with a beanie and crutches, entered looking puzzled to see her there.

"Hi." Betty glanced between the two boys who both seemed to be in an awestruck phase. 

"Um hey are you new here? I'm Archie Andrews. This is Jughead Jones."

"Betty Cooper, nice to meet you guys." 

"We're having a party tonight on the roof. You should come." Jughead said as Betty moved out the door, the pair following her out into the hallway.

"What for?"

"We're saying goodbye to my leg. It's going tomorrow." 

"Are you allowed to keep it?"

"Oh totally, I'll keep it in the hospital freezer, then once I get out of here I'll take it for a weekly walk."

"You could also go shoe shopping with it." Archie and Betty laughed to themselves while Jughead glanced between the two of them, something stirring in the pit of his gut. 

"Alright, let's go dude." Jughead clamped a hand on the ginger's shoulder, steering him in the other direction. "You should come tonight."

"Maybe I will." Betty sent a smile in Jughead's direction, nodding. 

With one last look in the blonde's direction, the boy and his roommate were down the hall. 

* * *

That evening, Jughead, Archie, and Toni were chilling in The Swamp, otherwise known as Jughead and Archie's room.

"We have no beer, no weed. This party is going to blow." 

"We do have the key card to the roof, you're welcome." Toni coughed, rolling her eyes at Jughead's pessimistic mood. 

Veronica waltzed into the room with a six pack, in entirely different attire than they last saw her in. Instead of the blue and gold cheerleading uniform she was wearing prior, she was now in a baggy blue hospital gown. Jughead was dying to know what exactly was wrong with her. It must have been bad news if she was still here and not back to ruling the top of the pyramid or whatever it was that ruthless mean girls did in high school. She placed the drinks loudly on the counter to make her presence known. "I don't need any tips. But I do plan on getting thoroughly wasted tonight."

"You actually did come?" Jughead looked intrigued. 

"It's not like I had anything better to do. Don't flatter yourself." The girl said, taking a seat on the chair next to Jughead's bed. 

Betty walked in, pausing to take in the other patients in the room. The two boys from before, plus two girls she had never seen before.  Jughead momentarily brightened when Betty walked in, which didn't go unnoticed by Veronica. 

"I think you have the wrong room human Ambien. The Sleep Clinic is on the fifth floor sweetie." Her words weren't sweet but Veronica displayed a smile that said anything but. Just as Betty was about to make a comeback, the only other girl in the room cleared her throat.

"Can we just go already? Time's a wasting." Toni chimed in, annoyance growing with both of the girls. With that, the five of them made their way up the elevator and onto the roof, Jughead was just glad they didn't take the staircase or he would have to have both Archie and Toni carry him and his crutches. 

* * *

Archie was playing some song on his guitar, Betty was using a sharpie and writing something down on his leg while Toni was taking pictures of the view. It truly was unbelievable what Pop did for them. The once bare and dull roof was now filled with a table of junk food, bean bag chairs, and couches. 

In some unexplainable fashion, Jughead gathered everyone around and nobody tried to make a run for it yet.

"This better not be some orgy invite." Veronica muttered under her breath. Betty fought the urge to say something to the girl.

"I've had these bands for a long time now and I think it's time I let some of them go."

"Finally something we can agree on. They just really aren't a good look on you Augustus Waters." While Veronica kept a straight face during her comment, it wasn't 100% serious. There was a hint of sarcasm, a touch of joking thrown in.

"Toni, this is from the night we met. We met in the ER and Toni was freaking out the nurses by playing dead. I knew we would get along and the rest is history." Toni smiled at her friend as she grabbed the band he held out for her and placed it proudly on her wrist. 

He moved onto the next band on his wrist before glancing at Veronica. "Veronica, this band was from my very first skin graft." He tossed the band to her.

"That's way too much information." She tossed it right back to him.

"For some reason, you aren't as vile as you seem." Jughead handed her in the band directly, and this time she didn't fight it. "And like skin, there are layers to you that have yet to be revealed."

"Betty, this is from my biopsy. I want you to wear it, to keep you safe." He glanced down at the blonde, hoping to bring her some comfort. 

"Thanks Jughead." Betty took the band graciously, smiling softly at the boy.

"Archie, this is the band I got when I had my big surgery. The same one you are going to get tomorrow. I just want you to know that you aren't alone, you're gonna come out of this thing."

"Thanks man." The two pals shared a smile, for it was true. They were the only ones to know what the other one was going through/about to go through.

 A half an hour later the five of them were gathered around the bed of one Jason Blossom, referred to by Veronica as Veggie Boy. 

"We have one for you as well." Jughead laid the band on the table next to Jason's bed.

"It's not like he can hear you or respond." Veronica commented. 

"Still, he was there for me when I was freaking out during my surgery." Jughead explained. 

"Actually, people say talking to the comatose person improves their recovery time." Betty pipped in.

"What about her? Does she get one too?" Toni gestured towards Cheryl, eyes shut yet again. 

"Ugh she better not be 24/7 or I swear I'll call security on her." Jughead and Archie shared a laugh at Veronica's comments, they wouldn't put it past her. Betty started introducing herself to Jason, even if he couldn't physically reply to her and Toni was poking Cheryl, unsure if she was asleep or dead by the amount of time she spent passed out on that couch. 

"I hear they called in Froyo for us." They looked at Jughead, him unknowingly taking on a leader role of sorts. Something he wasn't at all familiar with. And with that the five unlikely friends headed towards the cafe, unsure of what tomorrow would bring. 


End file.
